1st trip back to Colorado

April 1st - April 8th, 2012

We headed back to Colorado to visit my mom and dad and all of our friends.  I had our week so packed full of activities in order to try and see everyone.  I had to send my calender to my mother ahead of time so she knew when we were free for her to get to do some fun things with me and Megan.  Megan and I went for the first part of the week and then Robert came and joined us for the weekend and for Easter.  We all had such a wonderful time.  We got to go to the zoo with grandma and cousin Ryan, which Megan thought was great.  Megan had her first sleep-over at Talia's house.  I was in the room right next to Talia's just in case.  The girls are so cute together.  After we tucked them in we heard talking and giggling coming from Talia's bedroom.  It was beautiful weather while we were there and we had lots of outdoor fun. 

Grandpa had to check the sprinklers, so Megan had to use that opportunity to run thru the sprinklers

Well on her way to getting soaking wet.

A little girl can get thirsty after all of that running.  Good thing there was a bird feeder nearby!

Playing at Monkey Buziness with her friend Talia.

Sleepover at Talia's house.  Our little princesses dancing.

Dinner time

Bath time

Quiet time before bed

At the zoo with Grandma and Ryan

Riding the carousel with Ryan at the zoo.

Playing at the park with friends.  Shew as swinging with Luke and Talia and Will were next to them.

My little Picasso...wearing Grandpa's old shirt to keep her clothes clean

Robert flew in on the Friday before Easter.  Megan had unfortunately gotten sick right before her daddy came, so she didn't get to go with me to the airport to pick him up.  She had been throwing up and I didn't dare put her in the car.  But, when I got her daddy to grandma's house, she was so happy to cuddle with daddy and slowly started to feel better.  Easter was fun.  Megan dyed Easter eggs with her cousins, Dylan and Ryan, and practiced finding the eggs.  For Easter she asked for: a mermaid doll that could really swim, 2 pairs of goggles (one for her and one for Talia), and a toothbrush like Talia's.  While spending the night at Talia's, she saw Talia's fancy Dora electric toothbrush and wanted one.  She enjoyed Easter morning going through her basket and seeing everything that the Easter bunny gave her.  Then afterwards, the kids went to the park for the Easter egg hunt.  The next morning we headed to the airport to head home.  It was so much fun. 

So happy to have her Daddy back

Hunting for Easter eggs on Easter morning

Found another one!

Megan's Easter basket

A last minute item, a squishy ball, that she absolutely fell in love with.  She is giving it a kiss.

Checking out the goods

Trying on her goggles.  How cute!

Dylan, Ryan and Megan ready for the Easter egg hunt in the park.

Finding eggs in the park

A girl on a mission.  She knows they are filled with candy.

  

Megan's first time ice skating

This weekend we took Megan ice skating for the first time.  She was very excited to go because of watching Disney on Ice.  She just wanted to learn how to skate.  Plus, we figured it's a major past-time here in Minnesota, so she might as well learn now.  She did really well and enjoyed it for the most part.  She did cry a bit when she fell, but I think it was more because the ice was cold on her tushy than any other reason.  We forgot our camera, so Robert took some pictures with his cell phone. 

Disney on Ice

March 3, 2012

We all had a fun family date night.  Robert got us all tickets to go see Disney on Ice.  Megan got dressed up in her princess dress and she was so excited, even though she had no idea what to expect.  Robert and I were both so excited to see Megan's face when the show started.  We had excellent seats, right up by the ice.  Megan, of course, scored a new fancy crown and wand to have during the show.  The show was about the stories of Tianna (Princess and the Frog), Repunzel, and Cinderella.  Megan is obsessed with Cinderella and Repunzel right now.  Megan was, as always, a perfect angel throughout the show even though it got late in the evening, way past her bedtime.  However, she did start to cry when the show was over, because she really thought that she would get to go skate on the ice with the princesses. 

Waiting for the show to start

Watching the show with her new crown and wand.

The princess and the frog story.

Repunzel with Mother Gothel

Some of her expressions were priceless

Mickey and minnie mouse waving goodbye

Cinderella

February and March 2012

We are all moved in to our new house.  The kitchen and bedrooms were unpacked fairly quickly, but the basement and garage are still a disaster zone.  Oh well, we will get there someday.  So, Robert is super busy with work, but loving his job.  Megan and I are having some wonderful mommy/daughter time.  The last couple months seemed so busy with work, getting ready to move, and trying to still fit in as many playdates as possible.  So, it is actually a nice break to have pajama days with lots of cuddles and crafts and baking and just playing.  I have Megan enrolled in a dance class and we have met our first friends out here in Minnesota (Inga and her mom Jocelyn.)  Other than that, we have been trying to stay warm.  Although, I can't complain as this has been one of Minnesota's mildest winters on record.  Everyday I hear that temps are a good 20 degrees above average.  Maybe that is just God's way of helping me not hate it here.

Making Valentine's Day cookies

Frosting the cookies....the best part.

Making some flower pots as we are both ready for some spring

A pajama day with hot chocolate

Megan at her dance class

Megan's first MN friend, Inga

Playing in the snow.

Going to the Airport

Today is the day.  We are off to Minnesota to start our "new adventure."  Every time I was sad about leaving, Robert would remind to think about our "new adventure."  I finally told him not to mention those words anymore.  Sometimes a girl just gets to be sad.  Saying goodbye to my parents was hard.  Megan didn't really understand that we were leaving to move.  I think she just thought we were taking another trip to go see Daddy.  That was good though.  She wasn't sad, just excited. 

Giving goodbye loves to Grandma and Grandpa

At the airport ready to go.  She loved pulling her own suitcase. 

Goodbye parties

The house got all packed and loaded and on its way to Minnesota.  We closed on our Colorado house on Jan. 27th.  Everything went smooth.  I, of course, cried though.  Robert left on Saturday morning with Nadia and my Jeep to drive to MN.  Megan and I get to stay an extra week in Colorado while Robert takes care of closing on our new house and unloaded the moving van.  We get to stay with my mom and dad and have some going away parties.  My girlfriends had a going away party for me at Canvas and Cocktails.  We all got to paint pictures and take them with us.  I figure I can hang it up at my new house and always remember the good times I had with them.  Megan had her going away party at Chuck-E-Cheese.  All her friends gave her books for her going away presents.  That was perfect since they can easily be packed and provide some airplane entertainment.  We have lots of friends we are going to miss dearly.

Lisa, Ashley and Erin ready to paint

Patricia, Karey, and Jen

My amazing friends

Riding the rollercoaster ride at Chuck-E-Cheese

Riding the school bus with her friends

Opening her presents....lots of books!

Some of Megan's friends.  Wyatt and Aiden and Grady had to leave early.

 

Christmas celebration with Roessing's

Yea!  Robert is home to help me finish up with packing and to make sure everything goes smooth with the moving company.  Dad is out of the hospital and feeling better.  Each day he gets a little bit stronger and doesn't hurt so much.  So, it is finally time to celebrate Christmas with my family.  The Baxter's came over and we all enjoyed a nice breakfast and then opened presents.  Here is a cute picture of Megan and her cousins. 

Megan's first haircut

It is time.  Time to get those cute little curls cut.  I can't believe she is 3 and we haven't had to do this yet.  Her curls helped from seeing those uneven, straggly ends.  But brushing that beastly hair has become just too much.  Megan is excited to get her hair cut.  First she told me she wanted it cut like Daddy's, but thank goodness I was able to talk her out of that.  We decided on just taking off a couple inches off the ends.  Nothing too fancy.  Here are the pictures.

Sitting in the firetruck, ready to go.

Now a lollipop in her hands...even better.

After a couple inches have been cut off

She decided she wanted pigtails in the end.

New Year's 2012

We are celebrating the New Year in Minneapolis.  Megan and I flew out to be with Daddy and to house hunt.  We spent Thursday and Friday house hunting.  Megan did really well getting drug in and out of houses.  She loved all the ones that had swing sets in the backyard.  She also really liked one that had a pink potty.  We had to talk her out of that one!  We finally agreed on a house that all of us like.  It has a swing set in the backyard for Megan, and nice big kitchen and laundry room for me, and a 3 car garage and a big yard for Robert.  We put an offer on the house and if all goes well, we should close on January 30th.  Now that the house hunting is done, it was time to enjoy the rest of the weekend.  On New Year's Eve we went to Mall of America.  We had a wonderful dinner at the Rain Forest Cafe (of course Megan made out with some new things) and then we rode the rides at Nickelodeon land for awhile.  Megan had a blast and wasn't ready to go home even though it was getting late.  Robert was staying at a lovely apartment that I found for him for temporary housing.  He loved the diverse neighborhood and was so excited that I got to see his little home.  I didn't think it was all that bad (especially since he travels every week and is mostly there on the weekends.)  Here is a picture of the house we put an offer on as that is the only pictures I have of the entire weekend.  Sometimes that darn camera just doesn't make it out of the bag even though I packed it with good intentions.